It's All Ahead of Us
by ThatGuyInThePicture
Summary: Back in Piedmont, the Pines twins are about to face their toughest challenge yet: eighth grade. But coming back home hasn't been smooth for Mabel. A three-shot taking place in the time between their return home and the first day of school. YES, FINAL CHAPTER IS UP! (Cover Image: Growing Up Together by lostflame41 on deviantART)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I promised myself that I wouldn't be a guy that starts writing two stories at the same time. But you know, once an idea gets in your head, it's stuck until you develop it.**

 **Currently, I'm writing another GF fic called "Why Does History Always Repeat Itself?". However, my mind has gone a bit stale on it right now. So, I have decided to take a short break and write something else. Why not a three-shot?**

 **Most of the credit for this story goes to 'choc-chip-pancakes' on Tumblr. Apparently, this fandom can be very opinionated on certain topics and she took no prisoners when she talked about certain fans' opinion of Mabel. I do believe she is more thought-out than Dipper in terms of character development. So, I took on writing a story focused on Mabel. Thanks to 'choc-chip' for the encouragement! Do check her blog out! She does write stories as well!**

 **Okay, that took a bit longer than I wanted. Anyway, let's go!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own _Gravity Falls_. It is owned by Alex Hirsch and Disney.**

* * *

The cement curb she sat on was colder than she remembered it to be. The weather was changing obviously, but she felt there was something else to blame besides the lowering temperature. The bus stop was warmer in her memories of mornings back in sixth and seventh grade. Drifting breezes brushed against her hands and legs, which were exposed to the wind. She pulled her hands into the sleeves of her sweater, hoping the warmth it usually held would heat them up. Her legs were another problem. She regretted not wearing pants, thinking a skirt would be suitable for the day. It was too late now to head back home and change; she was perched with a group of kids waiting for the slow-moving school bus, which was just coming around the corner now.

She turned her head away from the incoming transport to see what her brother was up to. His head was down staring at the screen of his video game, his fingers mashing buttons wildly. She could understand why he was doing this. Ever since they returned from Gravity Falls, Dipper had gotten his GameKid back from Mom and Dad, who had taken it away before they shipped the both of them. At first, he didn't pay much attention to it but within a few days, he was back to trying to beat whatever edition of Backpack Creatures he had been playing before they left.

She nudged him in the shoulder. He earnestly looked up at her after pressing Pause. She pointed to the bus that was yards away. They stood up, letting the bus pull over to the side of the road. They lined up behind the pack of kids filing on to the bus. Once they were on, they spotted an empty bench near the back. They sat down. Dipper returned to his gaming. She leaned her head against the window and looked out at the curb she had been sitting on for a few minutes. Seconds later, the bus pulled away and left the sidewalk behind.

* * *

On the bus back to Piedmont, she and Dipper both agreed to not discuss what happened this summer with their parents. It was obvious that telling stories about their _two_ great-uncles, the journals, the countless near-death experiences, and/or Weirdmageddon was not the best course of action. She was prepared for this; that's why she had made a dummy scrapbook; a memory book that consisted of all the good, safe times they had spent exclusively for her parents. She planned to keep the real scrapbook she made a secret from everyone she knew except her brother.

Coming off the bus, their parents were the only ones waiting at the depot. She ran off the bus to greet Mom and Dad while Dipper took his sweet time getting off the vehicle. Typical parental hugs and kisses were given. However, the 'welcome home' vibe was paused when Waddles stepped off the bus last. Questioning expressions were shared by their parents upon seeing the pig. Dipper tried to give a good explanation but was interrupted by Dad, who said that keeping a pig wasn't going to work. But before he could launch into a tirade on their great-uncle for sending it with them, their mother stopped him and said they would solve the issue later. On the way home, Mom and Dad asked all the typical vacation questions any parents would ask their kids. They peppered them with questions like "How was it?", "How was your great-uncle?", and "What type of things did you do?". They complied with basic answers that gave the least amount of information as possible. Those answers turned into more questions until Dipper finally asked them how their summer had been.

When the car pulled into the driveway, she looked at the house they had stopped at. It was their home. Relief and stress collided in her mind and counteracted each other. She felt happy about being back home, yet she already missed everything about Gravity Falls. It was bittersweet in its purest essence.

Seeing her bedroom was another thing that had its happy and sad implications. Though his room was only a few steps away, she knew she would miss the shared attic bedroom she had with him in the Mystery Shack. It reminded her of when they were little and their parents approved them sharing a room.

The one thing that really confounded her was the mess of pink that engulfed the entire room. Her walls, bed sheets, and many of her stuff animals were of the same shade. It was an obscene picture that could make any visitor blush and turn the color. She was quite shocked to see the mass amount of the color all over the place. Was she that obsessed with the color? Walking in and absorbing the environment, she felt _uncomfortable_. It was a notion she had never felt before in her bedroom. She found herself double taking to watch the stuffed animals that sat against the headboard of her bed. Ever since she had entered the room, she felt like their eyes were moving as she walked around the room, unpacking and organizing her belongings. She knew the idea was ridiculous but she couldn't shake the eerie sense in the time she took settling back in there. At first, she didn't know why the room had this odd feeling.

Pink enveloped everything. It made her think back to the….

She now knew exactly why she hated the place. It felt too much like the bubble. Everytime she turned, she thought the color of the wall was turning darker, a shade of red, the same color when her rule over Mabeland ended and the true darkness of the place revealed itself. Scared and in a rush, she quickly put away all her belongings and headed downstairs. She wasn't sure how she was going to get rid of the connection between her bedroom and the bad memories of her fantasyland. It wouldn't be super difficult to convince her dad to repaint the room a different color. It had been pink for as long as she could remember. It was originally the house's spare room until their parents decided to split her and Dipper and give them separate rooms. Though it had been only four years since that happened, she believed that her parents would understand wanting a new color. A thirteen year-old girl's bedroom didn't have to be pink.

In the kitchen, both she and her brother were surprised to see their mother taking out a small mixing bowl and a permanent marker. She asked them what the pig's name was. Her father put Waddles in the fenced backyard and said the animal wasn't allowed inside under any circumstances. Even though he sounded annoyed with the idea, it seemed Waddles was now a permanent part of the Pines family. The twins, especially Mabel, believed that her parents would never allow them to keep him, considering their past history with pets. They were beyond happy; though most of the excitement came from Mabel. That surprise made her completely forget about the new notion her bedroom possessed thanks to the trap Bill had put her in.

Dinner was uneventful and silent, which was because everyone was eating. The roast their dad had cooked in celebration for their return was delicious. Dipper plowed through several plates of the meat, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Their mother made a comment about them growing up. Their father promised that Waddles would be allowed in the house, once the twins were able to prove to him that he was trained. Mabel did have food, yet she found herself craving the things Grunkle Stan served, even though half of those things came from a can.

A few hours later, she found herself brushing her teeth in the bathroom, getting ready for bed. She avoided her room ever since unpacking and was dreading going back in. When she was changing into her favorite floppy disk nightgown, she used the bathroom to change instead of her bedroom. She felt stupid for feeling this way; she was now 13 years old: a teenager, not a kid anymore. Yet, she didn't feel any more mature with all the anxiety weighing her down like a heavy backpack on the first day of school. Staring from a distance, the room felt small and closed off. Even only looking at it reminded her of being back in Mabeland. She only felt even more stupid for not wanting to sleep there. Her thoughts were interrupted by Dipper who entered the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Hey," he greeted her, picking up his toothbrush and reaching for the toothpaste on the other side of the counter. They hadn't talked much since the bus ride back to California. Besides their discussion about how to face their parents when they got back, Mabel had slept through most of the ride. She had no idea what Dipper had done; he had waked her up from her nap when they arrived in Piedmont. While he enthusiastically began to brush his teeth, Mabel contemplated her situation while she apathetically continued moving her toothbrush aimlessly inside her mouth. Dipper noticed her depressed expression in the mirror.

"Are you okay, Mabel?" he asked, mouth full of toothpaste. She spit into the sink and gave a tired sigh.

"Not really," she said. She stared at the reflection of herself and her brother that was in front of her.

"What's the problem?" he inquired. Mabel only continued to stare at the mirror. "I mean, can you believe Mom and Dad are okay with a pet pig? Aren't you happy that Waddles is actually going to stay with us?" She turned to face Dipper.

"I am, Dipper," she assured. "It's nothing you can help me with, ok?" Those words slid off her tongue painfully. The truth was she really did want Dipper's help. But she was afraid he would consider her being childish for being scared of her own room. He would probably think she was a baby if she asked if she could sleep in his room for the night.

"Alright," he said, filling a plastic cup with water to gargle. "But let me say this, Mabel. We went through some crazy stuff this summer. No kids should ever have to deal with a dream demon bent on taking over the world. I don't know what going on with you but I want you to know I'm here for you. You can tell me whatever is on your mind. Whether it's about school coming up or missing Gravity Falls, I'll listen."

His little speech eased her mind quite a bit. That's what he always did. Though many people thought that she was the more enthusiastic one between her and Dipper, there were many times where that couldn't be further from the truth. She was a part-time resident of Sweatertown and would often visit when she wasn't in the greatest of moods. Yet, her brother somehow always knew the right words to make her smile and get out of that dreary place.

"Thanks, Dipper," she said with appreciation, weakly starting to smile. Putting her toothbrush down and giving one last spit, she opened her arms towards her brother.

"Awkward sibling hug?"

Dipper let out a short laugh. Opening his arms, she realized what he was going to say in response.

"C'mon, how about a sincere sibling hug?"

The weak smile was replaced by a giant grin in less than a second. They walked into each other and embraced. The whole 'awkward sibling hug' tradition was started by Dipper when they were ten years old. It was around the time when kids their age began to tease them for being so close together. For some reason, the acknowledgement of it being 'awkward' made it easier for them. Now, it seemed that they were past that stage.

"Pat. Pat."

Okay, maybe they weren't completely past it. Pulling away, Mabel headed out the bathroom door and entered her bedroom, which was literally only a few steps away. Dipper popped his head out of the bathroom.

"If you want to talk about something, we can do it right now."

She hesitated closing the door to hear Dipper's proposal. Part of her wanted to run to his bedroom and tell him about her bedroom feeling like a prison. Another part held her back, a voice that teased her openness with her brother. The two halves fought for a second, though it felt more like a couple of hours.

"I'm fine, Dipper. Thanks though," she said in her usual perky tone. Dipper gave a smile and pulled his head back into the bathroom. Mabel heard the door close and a lock click. With the conversation over, she closed her door in response.

Now back in her room, the girl looked around to see the dire place she had been avoiding. The pink walls seemed to be of a lighter shade. Tired, she did a belly flop onto her bed. The comforter that was spread across the mattress felt warm and inviting. Her stuffed animals furthered the invitation with their goofy smiles and fluffy bodies. Absorbing the surroundings again, she found the room to be not frightening at all. She was shocked to say the least. Had her brain been playing some trick on her the whole time? Whatever it was, she was very glad to not be stressed. A good night's sleep would have been nearly impossible without something to ease her fears. Or, not having any fears to begin with.

She hears Dipper say goodnight to her and she wishes him one too. She removed her classic star earrings and the tortoise hair band she had worn for the day. Turning off the light and the desk lamp on her nightstand, she crawled into bed, snuggling herself against the hoard of stuffed animals she kept. The night-light plugged in the corner turned on and began emitting a small beam. Mabel looked over at it in consideration. She got out of bed and unplugged it from its outlet. She had slept in a rickety shack's attic for the past two months with no night-light. At 13 years old, she knew it was time to grow up and sleep in the dark. Getting back into bed, she pulled one of her stuffed animals into her embrace. She could give up light but she wasn't giving up her favorite unicorn. Giving it a loving squeeze, she heard a recording before falling into slumber.

"Princess Loveacorn says: Buy my 42 accessories!"

* * *

 **So, like I said before, I am planning this as a three-shot. The second chapter is pretty much done already.**

 **Thanks for reading! Faves, follows, and reviews are greatly appreciated!**

 **-ThatGuy**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, this could be a four-shot now. I'm hoping to end this in one more chapter but I don't want it to come off rushed. We'll see how it turns out.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Idon'townGravityFalls. AlexHirschandDisneyXDdoes. WhyamIdoingthis? Idon'tknow. Read!**

* * *

"Hey, wiggity-wiggity wake up!"

Mabel's eyes fluttered hearing the statement. It was echo-like, like someone had been calling from a distance. Confused, she sat up but couldn't see anything except darkness. She inched herself closer to her nightstand and waved her hand around, trying to find the switch for the lamp. It took a moment but she found it and turned it on. Light blazed from the corner of the room; she partially covered her eyes since they were so adjusted to the dark. Looking to the edge of her bed, she saw a familiar figure standing there.

It was Dipper, or at least, his silhouette. Her eyes hadn't adjusted enough to see him clearly yet.

"I said, wiggity-wiggity wake up!" it declared angrily. He took one of the stuffed animals that had fallen off the bed and threw it at her.

"Hey!" she responded in annoyance. "I'm awake, Dipper!"

"I'm not Dipper," he said coldly, walking closer to her. It was only when he was a foot away that Mabel recognized him. She wondered why she hadn't realized who it was until now. The weird eagerness he spoke with and the ridiculous eighties-like speech. The pine-tree hat flipped backwards and his neon green framed purple shades only exaggerated his absurd personality.

"I'm Dippy Fresh, not Dipper!" he exclaimed in an even angrier voice than before.

"What are you doing here?" she said in a confused tone. The reason why she was so perturbed was because she was the one who had made him back in her dream world, Mabeland. How was he standing right in front of her? The other thing that bothered her was that she had designed him to be a cool, laid-back version of her brother for when he disagreed with her in the dream world. However, this Dippy Fresh looked and sounded angry, irritated and bitter.

"We had a wicked, wild, wonderful thing going, didn't we?" he asked, pointing at her. "And you threw all your fun-loving friends and fantasies away for this?" he questioned, waving his arms to her room. She pushed the covers of her bed off of her to confront him. But before she could respond, Dippy Fresh continued.

"A life with a bratty brother who cared more about some apprenticeship than you? A life without your funky favorite dreams come to life?"

"What are you talking about?" Mabel growled. "Dipper cares for me! He convinced me to leave that terrible place and he didn't stay with Grunkle Ford!"

"You think that your life is some picture perfect commercial, don't you! You think you and your brother are going to have a wacky wonderful time in high school, get jobs, find a special someone, and live happily ever after!"

"I didn't say that it was going to be perfect," she spoke in defense. "We're going to get through it together! I couldn't give up on my entire life and stay in that bubble forever."

Dippy Fresh turned away from her and gave a sigh. The air became silent for a long moment. Mabel considered saying something to break it. But the boy turned around and gave a guilty expression.

"Sorry, sis. I haven't been my slick, super self ever since you left. Let's be hella-hella honest with each other," he said apologetically, taking off his glasses. Mabel stared in shock when she saw the boy's eyes. The once circular pupils were now narrow, curved slits. They gave off a yellow glow. The kid spoke again; his voice no longer sounded like the hip and dorky friend he was made to be.

"Before this summer, did you have any friends here, Shooting Star?"

She began to shiver in fear. Her hands literally shook while she stared at who was talking to her. Her breathing instantly became rigid and gasping. She tried to say a word but her mouth had become a desert, incapable of making any sound.

"I asked you a question," the easily recognizable pitchy and distorted voice said. "Before you came to Gravity Falls, did you have any friends back home here?"

Again, she struggled to give any verbal response. All she could do was sit in fear as 'Dippy Fresh' stared back only a few feet away, eager for some answer.

"Too hard of a question?" he asked. "Fine, I'll answer it for you. Your brother has been the only friend you've ever had in your life. This summer, you finally make a friend, two in fact! Only to have them be ripped away from you. Those two people were one-of-a-kind. Do you think you'll meet anyone like them?"

Silence came again. She broke her staring streak with him and began to look down, hoping he wouldn't notice the small tears that were falling down her cheek. He heard her sniffling though.

"Moving on, you're entering high school with your brother as your only ally. Did anyone ever tell you that high school is not what it's worked up to be?" He sat down on the side of the bed and looked away from her. "No impromptu musical numbers, no perfect romances, no happy endings. It's all a lie."

He took another pause. A new voice entered the conversation.

"High school is the worst. Classes get super hard, your body just flat out turns against you, and worst of all, everyone hates you."

At first, she thought the voice was in her head. But looking up, Mabel saw the voice coming from the boy's mouth. It was Wendy's honest, unfiltered opinion on the subject. High school was not at all what kids were told to imagine. As she recalled that conversation with the teen, she saw 'Dippy Fresh' get off the bed. He picked up a sweater off the floor of the room. "Do you think _this_ is going to make it any better?"

He held up her glittery 'Meow-Wow!' sweater for her to see. It was slightly crumpled from being at the bottom of her suitcase and needed to be washed.

"I mean, this is the biggest target I've ever seen for a girl your age!" he declared, turning the sweater around to give a good look at it.

The sniffs had evolved into snorts of sadness. The 'snort' stage didn't last long. She began to simply cry softly while he examined her choice of clothing. She let out a loud demand while her tears poured into the sleeve of her nightgown.

"Why are you doing this?!" she cried out in a sad wail.

Hearing this, his attention diverted away from the sweater he was looking at. 'Dippy Fresh' gave a devilish smirk.

"I think you made the wrong decision, Shooting Star. You could have stayed the paradise I created for you," he spoke, approaching her slowly again. "Instead, you chose reality: a dark, bleak world that only ends in sadness. Since you have such a vivid imagination, I'll show you how it turns out."

He snapped his fingers. She blinked voluntarily.

* * *

Upon opening her eyes, she looked around and discovered she wasn't in her bedroom anymore. The soft mattress and pillows she had been sitting on were now replaced by a hard, tile ground and wall. Basic colors of grey and beige now filled the environment around her. Picking herself off the floor and looking around, she finally recognized where she was. It was the girls' washroom of Piedmont Middle School.

As the room was silent, she guessed she was the only person in there. Moving through the washroom, she found none of the stalls occupied. Approaching the sinks, she saw her reflection in the dirty mirror.

She was wearing the sweater that Bill had just made fun of back in her room. Her face was plagued with running makeup. It looked like she had just cried a bucket of tears.

As she wiped away the makeup, a squeaky noise emitted through the room. Through two years of middle school, they had never once oiled the washroom doors. Looking past herself in the mirror, she saw a girl entering the room. She seemed familiar, but Mabel couldn't pinpoint who it actually was. Turning around the face her, she was only more confused when she could see every part of her, except her face. She had flowing auburn hair, a stylish white t-shirt and classic blue jeans.

"Oh, it's Miss Meow. I see you've made this place your new home," she said in a simple bullying tone.

The faceless figure was talking to her. She looked down, observing the 'Meow-Wow!' sweater she wore.

She tried to explain her situation. "I don't understand, I was just in my room an-"

"I think you do understand, actually. You. Don't. Fit. In. Now, can you move please? I need to work on my hair."

Tired of talking to the stuck-up girl, she left the washroom. The door's squeaking made it quite hard for her to hear the girl's last comment as she walked down the hallway. Now, she was glad the school was too lazy to fix the problem. Looking at the clock above the closest classroom, it was 12:15. Lunch period.

Knowing the way to the cafeteria, she walked down the hall in contemplation about what was going on. Obviously, this was some sort of dream she was in. Bill had said something about 'showing her how reality turns out'. Was this a glimpse into the future? She really doubted it, but after all her encounters and experiences with Bill, she had come to expect the worse.

Other questions entered her head as she neared the cafeteria doors. Was this supposed to be the first day of school? The weather didn't give a super clear indication of what time of year it was. Staring out the window for a moment, she saw it was cloudy and windy. Trees from the other side of street swayed and let go of their leaves while she paused to gaze out the window. Years spent in Piedmont and her knowledge of seasons gave her the guess it was still fall.

The cafeteria was busy but Mabel noticed it was at its full capacity. Every table had students packed tightly together. She found this odd considering that there was always room at tables in sixth and seventh grade. She had only walked for a second until a loud male voice echoed throughout the room. All the kids eating and walking paused their conversations and looked directly towards her.

"Hey, look! Miss Meow-Wow did come back!"

Canned, artificial laughter filled up the space within a second after the insult was said. She didn't cry but ignored the loud giggles and mean comments as she stepped through the aisles between tables. She thought their teasing would eventually end. However, the collective anti-cheer only seemed to grow in volume. The obnoxious snorts and names they called her continued getting louder and louder. It was as if they all were speaking right into her ear. She strained to keep on walking. Looking to an exit, she saw a familiar figure standing with a group of boys. Within another foot, she knew it was her brother. He wore the same clothes from the summer, the only difference was he was missing the blue-shaded pine tree hat.

"Dipper!" she called out. The laughing got louder once her walk turned into running. Coming closer, she could see him more clearly. He was laughing with the boys next to him. At last, she finally stood face to face with him.

"Dipper, what's going on?" she asked, desperately. Dipper gave a malign look at her.

"Do you know 'Meow-Girl'?" one of the kids next to Dipper asked him. Giving her another glance, he turned to look at the boy who had asked him the question.

"Nope, don't know her at all," he said in response.

"Dipper, it's me! Mabel!" she burst out, grabbing the blue vest he wore over his orange shirt.

"Hey, get your claws off me, 'Meow-Girl'!" he shouted at her, pulling himself away. "Go back to the litterbox. I heard that's where you live now."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Turning away from him, she could see everyone in the cafeteria was standing and walking towards her. They pointed their fingers at her. Their laughing verbally pushed her to the ground, like it was coming in waves. On her knees, she turned and faced Dipper again. Now, she could feel the salt water dripping down her cheek.

She thought she saw a tinge of guilt in his expression. At first, she wasn't sure if it was just her mind making her see it. But Dipper crouched down to see her eye-to-eye. His eyes looked directly down and his smirk from before dissipated.

"I'm sorry," he said in a mutter. He stood back up and stepped backwards. Within a couple seconds, he was no longer visible as other students surrounded her.

The words he had said felt like a child was cutting her heart mindlessly like it was a piece of paper. She would have prefered him to have said nothing. If anything, it was worse for her to hear his apology. He did those things knowing he was hurting her.

She pulled her sweater over her head as the kids came even closer to her. Pain fell across her body as a multitude of hands began to hit and push her. The noise that the group made was at a peak. Her ears felt like they were going to explode. It was unbearable.

The violent shoving and the noise came to abrupt end after a minute or so. She slumped to the cold ground, embracing the numbing feeling it gave her. The sweater absorbed the cold temperature of the floor and her tears at the same time. The sudden silence made her ears ring loudly, adjusting to the quiet.

She remained still for a long time. She didn't want to face that again. She hoped it would all be gone. But she kept herself at rest, worried that any movement might bring the inevitable back. Eventually, moving her hand slightly, she could feel something soft other than her sweater. Shifting her body, the ground creaked below her. Peeking her eyes out of the sweater, she found herself no longer in the confines of the cafeteria at Piedmont Middle School.

She was lying on the bed, back in her bedroom.

* * *

The first night back in Piedmont, Dipper found it quite hard to get some sleep. While the bed he had in his room was much more comfy than the one he used in Grunkle Stan's attic, he had gotten so used to it that he felt very unfamiliar to him. He kept shifting around in the sheets, trying to find a position he could relax in. He considered that it wasn't the bed that kept him up, but the fact of the summer he and Mabel just had experienced. He could easily say that no kid could ever claim they had the chance to clone himself, battle a giant child robot, and save the entire world. His thoughts wandered while the hours crept by.

Eventually, he turned his head to glance at the alarm clock on his nightstand. The glaring LED display shone 1:34 into his eyes. Smacking his lips, he felt quite thirsty and decided to make a trip to the bathroom for some water.

He silently stepped into the hallway and tiptoed his way to the bathroom, hoping not to disturb anyone. Dipper knew he and his family were very heavy sleepers. He knew that he could make a ruckus and both of his parents wouldn't even stir. He and Mabel were no exception either. He could remember Grunkle Stan mentioning the fact that he was surprised that neither him or his sister woke up while he was working on the portal underneath the Mystery Shack.

Entering the bathroom and closing the door, he turned on the light. Instinctively, he closed his eyes and waited a few seconds before opening them. He turned the tap on cold and filled up a cup on the counter. Turning off the water and taking a big swig, he thought he heard something coming through the wall. Mabel's room was directly behind the mirror. He found it strange considering he hadn't heard anything coming from there while he was in the hallway. In his usual curiosity, he put his ear to the mirror and listened carefully. It was very quiet and soft.

Small, weak meowing.

The sound immediately made Dipper recall the time when he and his sister shared a room. Whenever Mabel had a bad dream or was scared, her method of calming down or relaxing was meowing. He was usually asleep when she did this but there were a few times when he heard her and talked to her from across the room. He didn't mind comforting his sister when she had nightmares; he thought the conversation was good for the both of them.

Coming out of the bathroom, he looked towards Mabel's door. There was no light shining from her room, but it was obvious that she was awake. Though he felt bad that she had what he assumed was a bad dream, he felt relieved he wasn't the only one struggling to get some sleep. He slowly approached the door. The meowing was now much easier to hear. He tapped a knuckle against the door.

He whispered her name loud enough that she would be able to hear.

"Mabel?"

The meowing ceased when he said her name. The silence he had heard before returned. He pushed the door an inch to peek into her room. It creaked every degree it moved. He cringed and stopped the door, waiting for a response from Mabel.

"Psst, Mabel. You awake?" he asked, his question a bit louder this time. The sound of moving blankets slid through the crack of the door. He waited a few seconds, but no reply came. Becoming even more curious from the lack of a response, he opened the door in full and looked around.

The bedroom looked exactly the way it was before they left for Gravity Falls. Several Timez posters hung around the room, fading into the pink walls. Her suitcase lay flat on the floor by the dresser. As he walked to the piece of luggage, his foot grazed against something fuzzy. Looking down, he saw one of Mabel's stuffed animals on the floor.

Actually, all her stuffed animals were lying on the floor.

Piles of plush people and creatures were littered around the bed. He glanced at the bed, expecting to see Mabel.

A giant lump sat alone in the middle of the mattress with layers of blankets and sheets covering it. He kicked the animals out of the way and came right to the side of the bed and examined the bulge. Watching closely, Dipper could see the lump move slightly, increasing and decreasing in size. He could hear long breaths coming from underneath as well.

He brushed his hand against the lump and whispered quietly:

"Mabel, it's me."

The lump tensed as he graced the top of the pile.

"Are you alright?"

As the words split the air, the lump shifted and began to rise. A hand poked out from under the sheets. It lifted the blankets over the lump and threw them behind her, off the bed and unto the floor.

Mabel stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes. Dipper stared in shock, wondering what was the matter.

She grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. He could feel the tears that she shed soaking onto his shoulder through his shirt.

He returned the favor, bringing his hands around her and stroking her back lightly. He wasn't sure whether she would want to talk about it. His comment from earlier in the evening was now quite relevant. He was going to be there for her. Though he wasn't sure about what had even happened, one thing was for certain.

Tonight's insomnia was a blessing.

* * *

 **Sad way to end this chapter. I promise things get better in the end. :)**

 **-ThatGuy**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Not going to ramble here. My long final note is at the bottom. Enjoy the final chapter.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own GF or its characters, they belong to Alex Hirsch and Disney...**

* * *

A case of restless tiredness anguished Dipper as he lay in his own bed. He had gotten little sleep last night after spending time soothing Mabel's fears after discovering her in distress. Even though he had returned to his room in the early morning, when he was sure Mabel was peacefully asleep, rest never came to him. Seconds of staring contests with the ceiling and his alarm clock became minutes, which became hours. The uninspired attempt to fall asleep kept his conscious busy, contemplating the whole situation. He was glad that his sister had been able to get rest, but now he was stuck with the angst she presumably had before he noticed her. With his eyes closed and not knowing the time, a small hope still resided in him that he could get some sleep. It was summer; school was still days away.

Though he couldn't deny the season was slipping away every second that passed. The temperature was falling quickly from the boiling highs of July. Piedmont and California in general were consistently quite hot through the summer but this year was an odd occurrence. His parents told him and Mabel that the weather was becoming fall-like back in the beginning of August. They had a few days of consistent rain according to his mother. Leaves were already appearing on the ground. All the signs pointed to autumn and the school year that was starting in only four more days. It was worst than having all those annoying 'back to school' commercials playing when school was still several weeks away. As if any kid wanted to think of the fact that summer had to end.

The sound of his bedroom door opening interrupted his mind and made him slightly more aware of what was going on, but he kept his eyes closed. He assumed it was his sister. However, seconds later, light flooded his surroundings as the blinds were pulled away. Dipper, who was half-awake, drew himself closer into his pillow and groaned.

"It's 10 AM, sweetie. You should get up."

The voice of his mother suggesting he should stand up and begin the day now made him groan even louder in annoyance. Why did he need to get up? Didn't she understand one point of summer was to sleep in as long as possible?

"Go away," he growled through his drooled-on pillow.

"What's wrong? Didn't get much sleep?"

That comment was the understatement of the summer. As much as he wished he could give a credible excuse for his weariness, he didn't want to mention what had happened during the night. He remained silent and pulled the covers over his head to prove his point. He was _not_ getting up.

"Alright, sweetie. I don't know what's going on, but please come down by noon, ok?"

He moved his hand from out of the blanket and gave a thumb up. A moment passed before Dipper heard the door close shut.

Sighing through his nose, he pushed off the sheets and opened his eyes. It took him almost a minute before he could see properly thanks to the bright light shining through the window. He slid out of bed like a slug, blankets still wrapped around him, and approached the window. With one pull of a string, the blinds fell and shut out the sun from his room. Another sigh slipped through as he struggled to return to his bed. He rolled onto the mattress but didn't put any blankets over him. Instead, he took his pillow and put it over his head.

His mind went back to the hours he spent in the room across the hall. It had already been played over in his head countless times in his insomnia but he did it once more. The memory of their conversation in the darkness of earliest morning was as clear as it was when it happened.

* * *

Nothing was said for what seemed like endless minutes. The only thing that cut through the black, dense air was Mabel's sniffling as Dipper continued to comfort her. For Dipper, all he could do was be there for his sister. He remained quiet while repeatedly patting her back in a rhythm. He kept this going for what felt like an hour.

It was hard on him to hear and see his sister like this. Whatever had caused her so much agony affected him too. He had no idea what had done this and though he really wanted to know, he didn't ask.

Eventually, she began to string some verbal fragments through her tears.

"C-can't go back," she croaked wistfully. "P-please don't leave m-me."

"Mabel, I'm not going anywhere. Can you tell me what happened?"

"H-he showed me eighth grade. I can't go back there."

Though he was getting frustrated with the lack of information, the mention of a 'he' drew out Dipper's anger.

"'He'? Who showed you grade 8?"

There was a bit of hesitation before she responded.

"We didn't beat him, Dipper," she whispered in fear.

At last, Dipper was now aware of who Mabel was talking about. There was no clarification needed. He knew exactly who 'he' was.

"Mabel," he finally pulled away to look at his sister's face. "We beat Bill. He's gone. Ford erased him in Stan's mind. He is dead."

"He came to me, Dipper," she said with frustration against her brother. "He was mad that I left the bubble. He showed me what eighth grade will be like!"

"What exactly did 'he' show you?"

Very much in pain, Mabel recounted everything that had happened earlier in the night. From 'Dippy Fresh' waking her up to being embarrassed in the cafeteria. Though all the experiences sounded frightening to him, the last thing she said explained her sorrow the best and hurt him the most.

"I tried to talk to you but you said you didn't know me," she sniffed. "You teased me like everyone else did. But you did it knowing it was hurting me!"

She began to cry again and fell face-flat onto her bed.

He stood there agape. He would never betray her. As siblings, they could get on each other's nerves every once in awhile. But in all his life, he never took that option of doing that to in all his life, he never took that option of doing that to her. It slightly frustrated him that such an idea would even become conceivable to her. Sighing, he sat down on the bed and examined Mabel, who was lying on her stomach on the bed.

"Mabel, I would never, ever do that to you. You know that, don't you?"

She didn't say a word.

"Mabel," he said, poking her back. She remained still. "I know that the future is scary. High school, relationships, etc. It's all ahead of us and we don't know how any of it will turn out. But you should know that I'll always be there for you. Just like right now."

He could hear her sniffling picking back up. He didn't have a big, motivational speech to help her out. All he believed he needed to do was reassure and deliver on that promise.

"Look, I don't think I'll be getting any sleep soon. Do you want me to stay for a bit?"

An audible 'yes' slipped out of her mouth, muffled by the blankets. He lifted his legs onto the bed and lay beside his sister. He kept some space between himself and her just so things didn't seem awkward. They hadn't shared a bed since they were eight years old. But trying to continue to comfort her besides her presence, he slipped his hand under the sheet. Her found her shoulder and sliding down her arm, he took her hand. It was as cold as the cool night outside the window.

"Thanks, bro-bro," a quiet whisper said.

* * *

Time passed slowly. It was mostly silent in her room as they lay in bed. Once in awhile, conversation would start again. More worries and tears from Mabel. More comforting and reassurance from Dipper. It was a cycle that lasted for what felt like an eternity.

In all that time, Dipper dozed off for only minutes at a time. He constantly slipped in and out of sleep, waking up every time Mabel weakly cried his name out. Eventually, he moved his head above his sister's to see her alarm clock. It was 7:30 in the morning. He knew their parents would be getting up soon. As he admitted to himself in his head that it would be pretty awkward to talk about it with them, he decided he should take off before they woke. After making sure Mabel was asleep, he slipped out of her room and returned to his own bedroom. That's where he still found himself three and a half hours later.

Even though the possibility of Bill returning gave him nightmares of his own, he knew it just wasn't possible. The demon had been erased in his great-uncle Stanley's mind. It had to have been his sister's insane imagination working against her.

Though his door was closed, muffled but distinguishable voices entered his ears. He could hear Mabel downstairs talking to their parents. Her voice sounded like it always did: fun, cheery, bright. It made him push a weak smile onto his face, giving his fatigue a push to the side. He could put off sleep for an entire month just to make sure she was okay. That was his final thought before his consciousness drifted into the void of somnolence.

* * *

Mabel sighed as the surroundings she viewed out the window started becoming a blur as the bus picked up speed. Leaning her head against the glass pane, the cold surface made her head shiver. The rigid bench seat she sat on felt like she was leaning on a solid wall. Numerous attempts of adjusting herself did nothing to counter the uncomfortable position she was in. She turned away from outside to see her brother. Dipper sat next to her, still sucked into his game. He showed no recognition that she was looking directly at him. He remained affixed to the screen, making odd expressions as typical 'beeps' emitted from the console.

She didn't bother him. She was in no position to. After everything he had done for her since they came back from Gravity Falls, it didn't feel right to hinder him again. He had been the one who comforted her for the past five nights ever since they returned from Oregon. He had been the one who spent hours talking with her and making sure she knew he would never betray or leave her. He had been the one who did all this with no inhibition.

Yet even after all those nights of comfort, her fears still remained. They weren't as bad as the first night but they still floated around in her mind: a hazy fog that wouldn't lift. But in the void of anxiety, Dipper's voice quietly sounded into the space.

"I'm going to be with you."

Trying to hide the tears beginning to well up, she slumped farther down into the seat, letting her head slip underneath her sweater.

"We're going to get through this."

She sniffed loudly, hoping the cotton surroundings would snuff out the noise.

Her hands lay folded in her lap, shifting and cradling each other like they were co-dependent for survival. Within a moment, another hand enter the fold and took control of Mabel's right palm; it was warm and nestled it with carefulness. She knew this hand well.

"How's Sweatertown treating you?"

Her sweater muffled her response.

"I-It's ok. There isn't much to do here though."

"Why don't you come on out? We're almost there."

She accepted the proposal and sat up straight, popping her head out back into the open. Dipper could see some streaks on her face. Mabel looked down at her skirt and kicked her legs back and forth in anxiousness.

"Dipper, I-I don't know if I can do this. I can't get what he said out of my head."

"You say that like you're alone in all of this."

He squeezed her hand as he said this. She looked at him.

"I know things changed this summer. We aren't the same kids we used to be before. But I will always be there for you, Mabel."

They could feel the bus begin to turn right and pull into the drop-off zone of the school. As procedure, the kids in the seats in front of them got up and walked off the bus. After about a minute of waiting, Dipper stood up and grabbed his backpack from the overhead grill. He didn't start towards the front until Mabel had her things too.

"Good thing I didn't need to bring my tuba on the first day. That thing is so heavy!"

"I know, right? That's why the bells are the greatest!"

"Didn't you play parts on the triangle last year too?"

"Yep, I rocked that solo back at the winter concert!"

"Actually, I think you played when we were supposed to stop playing."

"Still counts as a solo!"

Their discussion followed them as they stepped down the steps of the bus and onto the curb of the drop-off. However, it trailed off as they looked ahead to the entrance of the school.

Both gave a heavy sigh. Instinctively, Mabel clutched onto her brother's hand and gave it a hard squeeze. Dipper squeezed back.

"Ready to head into the unknown?" he asked.

"Nope," she immediately answered back in a nervous tone.

Another quick pause followed. Eerily, the bell chimed from the inside of the school and sounded out the doors. The pace of the students behind them began to pick up. As the chime faded out, Mabel said one final thing before their next journey started.

"Let's do this."

* * *

 **OK, now the explanation... this has been an afterthought for way too long. I'm in my final year of high school so FF hasn't been on my to-do list. I'm really sorry to those who have faved and followed this story. You guys have waited so long for this to get an ending. I'm really glad to finally know that this has concluded and won't be left hanging.**

 **In regards to the other story (Why Does History Always Repeat Itself?), I still doubt it will be finished. I have done some writing but not enough for the next chapter. I apologize in advance...**

 **Thanks again to anyone reading this. I hope you enjoyed this short (very time-consuming for me) story :)**

 **-ThatGuy**


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